A Date with Dusty-Neigh

My introduction to a horse began on a rare beautiful April day.  I pictured myself learning how to communicate with a horse by just observing it, hanging out on top of a fence, projecting my thoughts telepathically into those huge orbs of obsidian that they have for eyes. Somehow coming to an understanding without overstepping my welcome, and certainly not by controlling the animal.

Well the first thing I learned with my new teacher Karen is that, like dogs ala Cesar Romero, a horse needs to know that you are worthy of its attention, and that you will take the lead in any waltz around the paddock.  I was introduced first to Dusty.  He was the oldest and mellowest horse at the stable.  I thought that he would be just fine for this investigation.
Karen encouraged me to tell Dusty that I was intimidated by his size, the old adage that a horse instinctively knows your fears has been amended with the suggestion that you fess up immediately and pretend nothing and 'use your words'.  Karen spoke  of others who oversee equine therapy in which humans are encouraged to tell the animals their troubles.  This was not quite what I imagined, more like I wanted the horse to tell me its problems.  She then demonstrated the proper distance from the animal one needs to pass behind it and thus we left quiet Dusty.

I then met Elijah, a brown and white horse who appeared more tense.  Or maybe that was me.  I met him inside a stall which really amplifies the size of a horse.  I repeated my tried and true first greeting and held up my hand to be sniffed.  Wondering if to a horse this was akin to asking him to kiss my ring made me ask Karen if horses like or want this particular attention.  She replied that Elijah was obviously already bored with my presence since he started looking away immediately after the first sniff.  I asked how do you tell if a horse is tense, she noted the ears, tension in the neck, and stance, pointing out that Elijah's left rear hoof was tipped up and his balance was on one leg there and this is a sign of ease.  I felt somehow accomplished for the mere fact of not frightening the horse.  This whole morning I had been holding back my coughing for fear it would spook one of the horses.  I have a strange idea of horse skittishness and obviously it is all projection.

As we left the at-ease Elijah and passed by Dusty again, whose back foot interestingly was also tipped up in hoof repose I heard Karen say "Well I guess we are going to work with Sugar."  as if she had asked the other two for permission to work with me and they had declined.